Babylon expands Green Homes program

The Town of Babylon has expanded its Green Homes program to include financing for solar panels. For residents to qualify, their homes must either already be a Green Homes participant, be an energy star home or be a participant in an energy audit that demonstrated the efficiency of a home.

Residents don’t need to pass those litmus tests to participate in the Green Homes program.

“We will only finance solar on a home that is already energy efficient,” said town Supervisor Steve Bellone. “I have always maintained it doesn’t make much sense to put an expensive solar system on your roof if your house is leaky.”

The town is working with the Long Island Power Authority, which offers rebates of $17,500 for a 5 kilowatt system.

“The LIPA rebates make solar panels much more affordable, it pays for itself,” Bellone said.

Bellone announced the original Green Homes program in June 2008, which offered town residents loans to pay for the cost of the residential energy renovations, including air and duct sealing, caulking and weatherstripping, insulation, lighting and upgraded heating and cooling systems.